


the brightest shade of sun (when i saw you)

by genesis_frog



Series: a vine of ivy's pushing her way through (widobrave week 2020) [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Character Study, Dresses, F/M, Gen, realizing your friend is changing and also youre kind of into it the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23177926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genesis_frog/pseuds/genesis_frog
Summary: Her clothing is rags, purposefully inconspicuous and purposefully plain, as if she were trying not to think of her body at all.She buys a yellow dress in Xhorhas.(widobrave week day 3: flowers)
Relationships: Nott & Caleb Widogast, Nott/Caleb Widogast, Veth Brenatto & Caleb Widogast
Series: a vine of ivy's pushing her way through (widobrave week 2020) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1666243
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	the brightest shade of sun (when i saw you)

Nott the Brave is pricklier than a thornbush and more sour than wine. When she sleeps beside Caleb, her elbows jab into his own skinny side, and on the rare occasions she grabs at him, to pull him from danger or grab his attention, her claws pierce through his clothing and leave tiny pin-prick punctures. When they walk past other people, she ducks her shoulders to avoid touching anyone, weaving around bodies like she was allergic. Her smiles are full of needles, wielded like weapons in battle. Her clothing is rags, purposefully inconspicuous and purposefully plain, as if she were trying not to think of her body at all.

She bought a yellow dress in Xhorhas, without mentioning it to anybody beforehand. She slipped out in an afternoon, retrieved it, and returned home. In the evening before dinner, Caleb received a message: " _I_ _need your opinion on something. Come up to my room. You-can-respond-to-this-message._ "

“Will do,” he responded in the affirmative, and in a few moments, found himself standing outside her door, hesitant. His doubt was interrupted by the door cracking open and one amber eye peering at him from candlelight.

"So, I bought a dress," she began quietly, "and I just - it's not a big deal, I just wanted to see what you thought of it."

"I am not very, ah, fashion-forward, but I will give my honest opinion," he responded stiffly. She didn't answer, but slowly, she opened the door.

Nott the Brave was a thornbush, but plants with thorns sometimes have roses and, Caleb realized, Nott is beginning to _bloom_. In the amber candle light she looked beautiful, all green and gold. Her dress was pretty but practical, a sunny shade of yellow that reminded him of flowers outside Felderwin. She'd even put a crown of blossoms in her hair - they looked like they could have come from Caduceus' garden, and probably did, given how flowers were uncommon in Rosohna, to say the least.

Her fingers - still clawed, thorny - fiddled with the ends of her hair. She braided it, he realized distantly. He doesn't know anything about fashion.

"You look lovely," he managed, finally. "I do not know much about clothing but I know this much." He gave her a little smile, and patted the side of her face.

Her hand grabbed his. She’s ever so careful not to hurt him, but her words were iron. "You know how I feel about platitudes like that, Caleb, so tell me what you think."

His hand dropped, his gaze drifted away from hers, and he took a moment to think.

"I think," he said slowly, "that I am beginning to truly see Veth. You are metamorphosing right before my eyes, with everything you do. I like the dress, it brings out your eyes." _That is a thing fashion people say, right? Jester's said that before, right?_

Caleb looked her in the eyes once again and Veth gave him a small smile in return. "Thank you."

**Author's Note:**

> (title from "like the dawn" by the oh hellos)
> 
> this was the first work i made for this week! it's also where i established a lot of the recurring imagery/metaphors... see what you can spot throughout the works!  
> its 2 am in my timezone so I am legally allowed to post this now


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